What is your minimum expectation for Chelsea this season? Is out of the top four good enough?

With a massive month ahead of us starting this weekend against Manchester City, I am asking Chelsea fans (or football fans in general reading this post) what they personally believe to be the minimum expectation for us this season. If we finish outside the top four is that good enough?

The reason I wanted to post this question is because there is such a varied opinion now amongst Chelsea fans worldwide. The invention of Social Media has heightened opinion and you would find it hard to avoid debate and conflicting argument amongst supporters during and after each game. That's football, it's a game of opinion and I respect that.

However, from a business point of view financially, for the future investment in our football club, the stadium and being able to attract top talent to our club if the likes of Eden Hazard are due to leave this summer, we need to consider the bigger immediate picture before your decision is made.

I understand that there are those that feel that a new manager deserves time to come into the club, to educate the players into his philosophy and to build throughout a couple of seasons taking into account possible additions that they want in each transfer window. There have been those that have stated the same on Social Media and let's be honest here, that is the ideal scenario that we would like to happen here. The problem is, Chelsea are a club that demands almost immediate success based on what has happened since 2004.

If you think about it back then, the monies available for finishing as high as possible in the Premier League was nowhere near what it is now. The monies paid to each club at the beginning of the season for TV rights is outrageous and with that comes a pressure to succeed. The fact that a club who prepare themselves for a relegation battle go out and spend £60-£70m on players speaks volumes about how things have changed in our country.

Chelsea have arguably been the most successful club in England for the last 15-years and the facts are there for all to see. With that though comes a level of expectation each year having firmly established ourselves as one of the biggest clubs in Europe - which as we all know was the objective of Roman Abramovich when he took control.

Every single manager that comes into the club is aware of the levels of expectation. Each of them are surely tasked with top-four as the minimum with an added bonus of a good cup run or to win that competition whether it's domestically or in Europe. Anything less now, I believe to be a failure and it's worth noting the managers that have paid the price for anything less.

So to Maurizio Sarri and the expectations of him this year? I have just published an additional article at the same time as this one asking the question "When is it the right time to judge him?" Is finishing outside of the top four good enough in his first season even if we win the League or FA Cup? What would you think if we finished fifth but won the Europa League to qualify for next seasons Champions League? Surely that's a positive result right?

For me it's down to our bread and butter - the Premier League first and foremost. We need to finish inside the top four having been out of it last season. If we can achieve that, then it's been a positive one for me. If you can then add a trophy to that finish it's even better - especially the Europa League. If we finish outside the top four, get to finals but fail to win then it's a disaster!

What do you people think?

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